Textile inspection apparatus



Jan. 29, 1952 H. TOBLER, JR

TEXTILE INSPECTION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 22, 1950 A/ 1 f l l l J 1 ii:

F I G 2 INVENTOR.

HENRY TOBLER,JR.

36 1T NE Patented Jan. 29, 1952 TEXTILE INSPECTION APPARATUS Henry Tobler, .liu, Hopewell, Va., assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 22, 1950, Serial No. 180,760

9 Claims.

This invention relates to textile apparatus and.

relates more particularly to textile inspection machines and to improvements in the driving mechanism for moving textile fabrics across the inspection boards of such machines.

Textile inspection machines are widely used for the visual inspection of textile fabrics after they have been subjected to the conventional finishing operations. In employing these machines, the textile fabric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across an inspection board in full view of an operator who examines the textile fabric for defects and is then wound onto a batching roll. During the inspection, it is desirable that the textile fabric be maintained under a controlled and uniform tension and be moved across the inspection board, in either direction, at a controlled and constant speed,

It is an important object of this invention to provide a textile inspection machine which will fulfill the foregoing requirements and which will be especially simple in construction and efficient in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in a textile inspection machine, a novel driving mechanism for moving a textile fabric across the inspection board of such machine, in either direction, at a controlled and constant speed and under a controlled and uniform tenslon.

Other objects of this invention, together with certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

According to this invention there is provided, in a textile inspection machine wherein a textile fabric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across an inspection board and wound onto a batching roll, a feed roll which engages the textile fabric and an adjustable drive for positively rotating said feed roll, in either direction, at a controlled and constant speed. There is also provided an adjustable drive including slip means, such as a hydraulic torque converter, for applying a torque to the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric therefrom so as to impose a controlled and uniform tension on the textile fabric as it leaves the supply roll. The batching roll is also provided with an adjustable drive including slip means, such as a torque converter, tending to rotate said batching roll at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll so as to take up the textile fabric at the proper rate and to impose thereon a controlled and uniform tension. The slip means in the 2 supply roll drive and in'the batching roll drive not only make for smooth and uniform operation of the textile inspection machine, but also compensate automatically for changes in the diameter of said rolls as the textile fabric is drawn therefrom and wound thereon.

The textile inspection machine is also provided with reversing means to enable the textile fabric to be drawn from the batching roll and wound back onto the supply roll. The reversing means may take the form of an electrical switch for reversing the direction of rotation of the feed roll drive and for stopping the batching roll drive, whereby the slip means in the batching roll drive will permit the fabric to be pulled from the batching roll by the feed roll and will also impose the proper tension thereon. The supply roll drive will then wind the textile fabricbaclc onto the supplyroll.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the textile inspection machine, and

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of the textile inspection machine.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 9 designates a machine framework including uprights H1 at the upper ends of which is journalled for tilting motion an inspection board I l carrying idler rolls l2 and I3 at. the ends thereof. The inspection board H and the idler rolls l2 and I3 support for travel across said board, a textile fabric l4 coming from a supply roll 15 carried on a mandrel l6 journalled for rotation in the framework 9. Mounted for ,ro tation in the uprights ill of the framework 9 are a feed roll H, a measuring roll [8 and idler rolls l9 and 2|. A dancer roll 22, carried by arms 23 pivotally suspended from the inspection board II, is provided to compensate for any irregularities in the movement of the textile fabric I; from the feed roll I 5. The textile fabric I4 is adapted to be passed over the feed roll ll, around the measuring roll l8 and under the idler rolls l9 and 2|, under the dancer roll 22, over the idler roll l2, across the inspection board II, over I the idler roll I 3 and to be finally wound onto motor 25 drives the feed roll I! through a magnetic brake 26, which cuts in automatically when the motor 25 is stopped to prevent override, a

, V-belt drive 21 operatively connected to a gear reducer 28, a sheave 29 on the output side of the ear reducer 28 which in turn is connected to a sheave 30 attached to the feed roll I! by means of a V-belt 3|. 'Ihe sheave 30 is adjustable to 'permit the speed of the feed roll I! to be varied over a Wide range. To impose a tension on the textile fabric: l4 between the supply rolli5rand' the feed -roll ll, there is provided a reversible motor 32 operatively connected to the mandrel 18 through a hydraulic torque converter 33 and a The reversible motor 32 sup- V-belt drive 34. plies a torque to the supply roll l5 in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric I4 therefrom. A'manually operated" reversing switch 35 is provided to control the-db rection of rotation of the motor also as to permit tension to be applied to textile fabric M being drawn from a supply roll l5 which is wound in either the face-in or face-.out position, i. e. with thesssurface of the textile fabric .to' "be inspected facingvtoWard'or; away from-the center of thesup-ply roll 15. The batching roll 2 i'is driven byrmeans of a :motor a variable ratio V-belt drivez3'l,lathydraulic-torque converter 38 and a eralaspeed of the-feed r011 H, which adjustment g is madeby me'ansof torquearod 4i, bevel gear 42, torque :rod 4-3and controllrnob A l."

Attherstart of the-inspection operation; an

endbf, textile fabric 1 is drawn: from the supply;=roll i5," threadedithrough the textile inspection: machine and-secured to thebatching roll 24.- The motor 42 is started by means-of manually operatedswitch 45; Foot pedal 45 is then depressedtorclosestarting switch 4'5 thereby to start motors-15. and: 36 andxmove; the textile fabric I' l from the supply roll it toathe batching roll '24 at a constant speedcas determined by'the setting of the adjustable sheave 39, and under a controlledtension as determined bythe setting of thevariableratio V-belt drive 31; If it isdesiredlto-move the textile fabric Mbackward, i. e; fromflthe batching 1011.24 to thexsupply roll, I 5,

reversing switch 38 is operatedlmanually; causing the-motor tetostop, and causing the motor .25 to rotate inareverse directiontodrive the feed roll. l1. in a,reverse directionwhenuthe foot-pedal is depressedw Slippage'inthe torque converter 38 willpermitthe textile fabric 14 to be pulled from the batching, rol1=2l-i andwill alsov impose the proper tensionthereon, while the textile-fabric M will bewound ontolthe. supply roll I 5 through op: eration of .the motor 32. a

It isltolbe understood that the.,.foregoing deacross'an' inspection board and wound onto a. batching roll, afeed roll for engaging the textile fabric, a drive .for. positively rotating said feed rollfito move the textile fabric across the inspection board at a constant linear speed, a drive including, slip means for applying. a torque to the supply roll. tending to rotatethe samein a dime:

4 7 tion opposite to that necessary to unwind th textile fabric therefrom, and a drive including slip means for applying a torque to the batching roll tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll.

2. In a textile inspection machine wherein a textile fabric is drawn from a supply. roll; passed across an inspection board and Wound onto a batching roll, a feed roll for engaging the textile fabric, an adjustable drive for positively rotating said feed roll to move the textile fabric across the inspection board at a constant linear speed; ardrive including slip means for applying a torqueto the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind thetextile fabric therefrom, and an adjustable drive including slip means for applying atorque to the batching r011 tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheralspeediof the feed roll.

3;.IIL2, textile inspection machine Whereinla: textilel'fabric is drawn from alsupply roll, passed across an inspection bcardand Wound onto 'a' batching roll, a'feed roll for engaging the tex tile fabric, a drive forpositively rotating said feed'roll to move the textile fabric across'the' inspection board at a constant linear speed, a

drive including slip means for applying a torque tothe: supply roll tending to rotate the same in adirection opposite to that necessary to unwind the. textile fabric therefrom, a switch for reversing theidirection of rotation of the supply roll drive, and a drive including slip means for" applyinga torqueto the batching roll tending to rotatelthe same at a peripheral speed greater thanzthe peripheral speed of the feed roll.

4. In; a. textile inspection machine wherein a' textilerfabric is drawn from a'supply roll, passed across an: inspection board and wound onto a' batching roll, 'a' feed roll for'engaging the textile tion board at a constant linear speed, a drive including slip means for applying a torque to the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric therefrom, a drive includingslip means for applying a torque to the batching roll tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll, and a switch for reversing the feed roll drive and stopping the batching roll drive where by the textile fabric will be pulled from the batching roll and wound onto the supply roll.

5311i a textile inspection machine wherein a textilefab'ric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across an inspection board and wound onto a' batching roll, a feedroll for engaging the textile tending to'rctate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the-feed roll. 6. Ina textile inspection machine wherein a textile fabric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across aninspection board and wound onto a;

batchingroll, a feed roll for engaging the textile fabric, ,an adjustable drive for positivelyrotating.

said feed roll to move the textile fabric across the inspection board at a constant linear speed, a drive including a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric therefrom, and an adjustable drive including a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the batching roll tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll.

'7. In a textile inspection machine wherein a textile fabric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across an inspection board and wound onto a batching roll, a feed roll for engaging the textile fabric, an adjustable drive for positively rotating said feed roll to move the textile fabric across the inspection board at a constant linear speed, a drive including a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric therefrom, a switch for reversing the direction of rotation of the supply roll drive, and an adjustable drive including a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the batching roll tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll.

8. In a textile inspection machine wherein a textile fabric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across an inspection board and wound onto a batching roll, a feed roll for engaging the textile fabric, an adjustable drive for positively rotating said feed roll to move the textile fabric across the inspection board at a constant linear speed, a drive including a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric therefrom, a switch for reversing the direction of rotation of the supply roll drive, an adjustable drive ineluding a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the batching roll tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll, and a switch for reversing the feed roll drive and stopping the batching roll drive whereby the textile fabric will be pulled from the batching roll and wound onto the supply roll.

9. In a textile inspection machine wherein a textile fabric is drawn from a supply roll, passed across an inspection board and wound onto a batching roll, a feed roll for engaging the textile fabric, a drive including an adjustable sheave for positively rotating said feed roll to move the textile fabric across the inspection board at a constant linear speed, a drive including a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the supply roll tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that necessary to unwind the textile fabric therefrom, a drive including a variable ratio V-belt and a hydraulic torque converter for applying a torque to the batching roll tending to rotate the same at a peripheral speed greater than the linear speed of the textile fabric, and a switch for reversing the feed roll drive and stopping the batching roll drive whereby the textile fabric will be pulled from the batching roll and Wound onto the supply roll.

HENRY TOBLER, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,815,100 Francis July 21, 1931 2,105,715 Birch Jan, 18, 1938 2,205,630 Remington June 25, 1940 

